


Let's Hear it For the Boy!

by Anielka



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bad Boy Keith! AU, Cats, F/M, M/M, Motorcycles, pinning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-01-27 02:39:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12571908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anielka/pseuds/Anielka
Summary: From up close, Lance was able to actually appreciate the man's looks: the man's eyes were dark like the Void, filled with strange light and the promise of new discoveries (Lance would know, he was in love with the Universe), and that face, God Almighty, that face was the Sun, Lance felt like Shakespeare 'what light through yonder widow breaks, it is the east and- Hold the Fuck Up, was that a mullet?or,Lance is falling for the kind of bad boy that picks up kitties in the street, and that's awesome.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Tittle is from Deniece Williams' 'Let's Hear it For the Boy', which is literally Lance talking about Keith, trust me on this.

For Lance there was no greater truth than the fact the he loved his cat.

He had ever since the first time he saw her. He loved her from her pretty yellow eyes to her little paws. Blue was the light of his life and he would do anything for her.

And, boy, did she test that.

There had been endless situations that made Lance want to drown her (the time she ate all his left socks and he had to go dressed like a mismatched heathen for several days) (the time where she got herself stuck on the same tree everyday straight for a whole week) (the time where she pushed all his beauty products from their shelf, managing to destroy completely items worth several hundred dollars each), yet nothing had made him quite so mad as seeing her run out to the street while it was raining, in the middle of the night, on a Sunday, with an exam early in the morning.

But he loved Blue with all his heart, so there he was, soaking wet and calling for her.

"Blue, c'mere!" He yelled as loud as he could. "Blue! Let’s go home..." He finished with a whine.

He was walking past some bars, praying to God that no one assaulted him for poking his head in dark corners, when he saw a guy leaning against a wall on the front street. He was under a streetlight, granting Lance a clear view of how he looked; dangerous, if Lance had to describe him in one word. All sharp edges and heavy boots, a stereotypical leather jacket closed up to his neck, and if looks could kill...

Lance's first reaction was to try and walk away. I mean, the guy looked like he could and would rob you at any given opportunity, and Lance was already missing his cat... He did not want to imagine being robbed of anything else.

But on the other side, he might have seen Blue.

It was a tough choice.

But his love for Blue tended to bring the reckless and stupid out in him, so he crossed the street and stood up in front of this mystery man feeling like a bug.

From up close, Lance was able to actually appreciate the man's looks: the man's eyes were dark like the Void, filled with strange light and the promise of new discoveries (Lance would know, he was in love with the Universe), and that face, _God Almighty_ , that face was the Sun, Lance felt like Shakespeare _'what light through yonder widow breaks, it is the east and_ \- Hold the Fuck Up, was that a _mullet_?

"Can I help you?" He asked, his voice low and, if you asked Lance, pretty damn hot.

"Uhm, I'm looking for my cat?" God, he was lame, but he went on. "She's got grey fur and yellow eyes, and she's super friendly." His voice cracked at the last word. He would die if anything happened to her.

The guy unzipped his jacket and pulled something out of it.

"Is this her?" He asked, dangling her in front of him with one hand. Lance could have cried with relief.

"Blue! Oh, my God!" He sobbed, and took her in his arms. She started purring and rubbing herself on him, and he noticed she was warm. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"I don't usually like cats, but she is pretty sweet." The other guy confided as he closed his jacket again. "I assumed someone would be looking for her."

"You stayed outside in the rain waiting for someone to come claim her?" Lance asked in disbelief, still stroking Blue with one hand. "You're a hero." He couldn't keep the awe from his voice. Hot and selfless, this guy was the real deal.

Mystery-man just shrugged.

"You went out in the rain, on what seems to be you pajamas, to get your cat. I think you're way over me."

Lance was going to say something else (thank you a million times) (you think I’m a hero?) (you’re so damn hot) (wanna make out?) (wait what?), but they both heard some shouting from inside the bar. The guy sighed.

"Well, now that the kitty is in good hands, I’ll be going inside." He separated from the wall and started turning around. "You should go change. You'll catch a cold."

Lance already knew he'd caught a cold, but to tell this guy seemed like a waste of time, so he simply nodded.

"Again, thank you so much." You have saved the love of my life, I owe you the world. "This cat is-" He was at a loss for words.

"I get it." Said the guy, smiling softly. "You're welcome." And just like that, he went inside the bar, and Lance started walking home.

The next morning he took his test, aced it, then spent the rest of the week in bed with the worst cold of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith drove like a movie, which is to say, not in a way that made Lance want to hug him close and hide is blushing face, but fast and furious.   
> And Lance was fucking terrified.   
> But, hey, Lance was not going to look into the horse's mouth, right?

“Shit!”

Lance had slept through all his alarms and was regretting ever being born. And that was shit.

Which was, incidentally, all he was able to say at the moment.

"Shit. Shit. Shit." He grabbed his jeans and shirt and somehow managed to put them on at the same time.

"Shit. Shit." He quickly calculated if he could eat something before going out- No. Gotta go, like, five minutes ago.

He grabbed his bag, slammed the door behind him and ran, ran, ran, ran aaaaand

He missed the bus.

He saw it just as it started to go away.

"No! Wait!" He shouted after it, still running, but it just went farther and farther away.

He sank to his knees.

He had missed the bus.

Today was so damn important and he fucked up. He fucked up the one thing that he loved. He was such a horrible person. He was letting everyone down. Oh, God, why why why

"Hey, you're in the- oh, hey! You're the cat guy!" He heard, and lifted his head to see- Oh, great.

The hot guy that had saved Blue. Well, wasn't this perfect?

He wasn't just having a meltdown in the streets, no, he had to have it in front of the hottest guy ever to walk the Earth.

"What happened?" The guy tilted his head. "Did someone run over Blue?" He smirked, and a part of Lance was impressed he remembered his cat's name. This guy was so great. This guy wouldn't have missed the bus. Lance's lip wobbled. "Oh, God.   D-did someone run over her?" The guy crouched down next to him, his eyes widening in worry. Lance shook his head.

"I'm late to the best thing in my life." He croaked.

The other guy frowned.

"What?"

"Today was the presentation of a project I’ve been working in for months, but," he sniffed, "I slept through all my alarms, and I lost the bus, and- ugh, I’m going to fail and I’m going to lose my scholarship-" he felt his eyes fill up with tears. He had worked so hard for that scholarship, and now...

"Hey, it's fine, uhm," the guy was clearly super uncomfortable, and Lance felt horrible for dumping this on him.

Lance did his best to clean his eyes.

"It's not." His voice was whiny and he hated that. "I spent so long studying those stupid Copernican patterns! And now it's all for-" Lance rubbed his nose.

"Wait, you're studying Astronomy?"

Lance nodded, not daring to look up.

The guy made a sound like he had ran out of air.

"Get up."

"What?"

"Get up. Hurry." Lance did, finally looking at the guy’s face; he looked like a powerful god who had just made a decision. Either that, or Lance had a crush. And it was too early on a Monday to have a crush. "Did you have breakfast?"

"N-no."

"Here. Eat this, quickly." He shoved a muffin in his hand. "Where are you presenting this shit?"

"Altea University."

"Okay. I'm taking you there."

"You're taking me there?!" The guy pulled him to the side of the street and Lance saw a huge bright red motorbike.

"Meet Red." He said, putting a helmet over Lance's head.

"You're seriously-"

"Yeah." He sat over the bike. "C'mon, we got less than,” he checked a thin watch on his wrist, “ten minutes."

Lance sat behind him quickly.

"I'm gonna go fast." He told Lance. "Hold tight. And start eating."

Lance hugged the guy with his left arm while clutching the muffin on his right hand.

"Wait, what's your name?"

He heard the other man smirking.

"Call me Keith." And started the bike at full speed.

And damn, that was some full speed.

Keith drove like a movie, which is to say, not in a way that made Lance want to hug him close and hide is blushing face, but fast and furious. And Lance was fucking terrified. But, hey, Lance was not going to look into the horse's mouth, right? So what he did was suck it up (it being the fear of dying a painful death and becoming another statistic) and do his best to not drop the muffin Keith gave him.

They took several shortcuts, ran past a few stops signs, probably pissed off a couple of pedestrians, but they made it.

They made it! Alive!

Lance had never felt happier to touch solid, non-moving ground. He gave his helmet back to Keith, letting his heart return to his normal pace.

"You are my savior, my hero, I can't thank you enough, you-"

"Hey, you still gotta get to the classroom." Keith took his helmet and cocked his head in a way that Lance thought was extremely cute for someone with that kind of sex appeal.

"Oh, shit, right, I'm gonna-" he motioned to the doors. Keith nodded, and Lance walked away quickly.

He had already opened one of the doors when he heard Keith call him:

"Hey, blue eyes!" Lance turned around. "Show 'em what you're made of!" They smiled at each other and Keith drove away as Lance stared at him, awe in his eyes.

'God, he's amazing.' Lance thought.

'OH SHIT. IT IS A CRUSH.' Lance thought.

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Could you blame him? He wanted to give him and Shay as much alone time as he could! They were so cute together! He didn't want to get in their way!  
> And all that lead him to the current problem.  
> Which was being followed by a drunk dude and getting catcalled in a slurred voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> Don't hate me!! Here's the new chapter!
> 
> EDIT:  
> I corrected the spelling mistakes, AND I added a little bonus that I promised ;)

It wasn't that Lance was stupid. He knew he shouldn't have gone out to the street at midnight, wearing the shortest shorts he owned.   
Hunk's house, from where he had left, wasn't very far from the bars area of the city, which was full with drunk people on a weekend.   
So, it wasn't that Lance was stupid, it was just that he didn't think through somethings.   
Like asking for a cab instead of walking home through the minefield that was the zone on that specific Saturday.   
But, could you blame him? He wanted to give him and Shay as much alone time as he could! They were so cute together! He didn't want to get in their way!  
And all that lead him to the current problem.   
Which was being followed by a drunk dude and getting catcalled in a slurred voice.   
Lance wasn't weak, at all; he knew how to stand for himself. But he was at a clear disadvantage. And the guy was big. Not Hunk big, but still. He had broad shoulders and a look in his eyes like he knew he could get away with anything. It made Lance shiver.   
"C'mon, where are you going?" He called out, and Lance walked a little faster. He wasn't running. That would have been bad. He didn't want to get chased. "Don't be like that!" He chuckled.   
Lance heard a shuffling behind him and he started praying.   
Please don’t be behind me please please please please   
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" A hand grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him into the wall. He raised his hands to his face protectively. "Now, let me see you..." He purred and moved his long fingers around Lance's wrist and pulled it down. Lance saw then the man's face. He was handsome, but that didn't ease his worries. He had a sharp smile and long, white hair pulled up in a ponytail, and Lance wondered for a moment if he should memorize this information to tell to the police later.   
He felt the man's knee separating his legs and his breath stuck in his throat.   
God, no, no, no, please, no, not this.  
Anything but this.   
The man's other hand gripped his hip and-  
A voice rang through the night.   
"Ugh, get a room."   
Lance could have cried. There was someone else here. A witness. It didn't matter they thought he and this harasser where doing the do in the middle of the street. He was saved.   
He gathered strength the best he could and called out.   
"Help-" he was cut by the man's hand on his mouth. He felt a snarl curling up his mouth, and bit one of the guy's fingers.   
The guy grunted as he put his hand away, shaking it in pain.   
"You little-"  
"Help!" Lance called again, closing his eyes and looking up. "Please, help!"  
He heard steps getting closer, and, suddenly, his aggressor was pushed out of his sight, and he was now face to face with his savior.   
He looked up and met profound, dark purple eyes.   
Keith?  
Keith.  
"Keith!" He threw himself in his arms, trembling slightly. Keith seemed in absolute shock.   
"You-"   
It wasn't the most comfortable position, considering Lance was taller, but he felt safe there. Hiding behind Keith's lean body, finally away from the danger.   
Keith turned around as he pushed Lance away and behind him, facing the other guy completely. "You sick fuck." He growled.   
"This has nothing to do with you, kid. Carry on where you're going." He boasted, smiling. Lance felt sick.  
"Did he do something?" Keith asked without turning.   
Lance shook his head.   
"No, but he wanted to-"  
Apparently, that was all Keith needed. He ran away from Lance and towards the other guy, and punched him in the face.   
The guy stumbled back.   
"You're shit, Lotor." He snarled, returning to his spot near Lance, which he was grateful for.   
"You know me?" He asked, straitening himself up. "I am afraid I don't have the pleasure." The creep, Lotor, was massaging his jaw.   
"I'm Keith Kogane." That seemed to make an impact. Lotor's eyes widened for a moment.   
"Oh." He shook his head slowly, the white ponytail swinging. "And this beauty?" He cocked his head in Lance's direction.   
"He's with me." Keith stated. The man squinted.   
"Do you mean roma-"  
"I said, he's with me." Keith seemed absolutely ready to kick ass, and Lance had never been happier of seeing violence. "You're going to walk away now. If you ever touch him again I'll run you over with my bike."  
Lance didn't think the threat was real, but Lotor sure did. He cleared his throat.   
"I should get going, then."  
Keith growled, still hiding Lance behind him.   
Lotor started walking away down the street, and eventually disappeared, not once looking back, bit Keith waited until he was long gone to release Lance from his spot.   
"Are you okay?" He asked as he stepped back. Lance was both thankful and frightened at the distance.  
"Yes, I’m-" his lip wobbled a bit and his mind went 'oh no' before he felt his eyes fill with tears. "I'm sorry, I’m just- I’m-" he rubbed his eyes as he shivered slightly. They stayed like that a few moments, until Keith asked:  
"What's your name?"  
"My name... Oh my God," Lance's hand shot straight to his mouth, "I never told you-"  
"Yeah..." Keith half chuckled.   
"I'm Lance."  
"Okay, Lance. Can you stand up?"  
Lance stood up as Keith did.   
"Do you have anyone you can call?"  
"Uhm, yeah, yes, just-" he fumbled as he took his phone out with trembling hands.   
He dialed quickly.   
"Lance?"  
"Hunk!" He sobbed in relief.   
"Whoa, what happened?! You sound- Where are you?"  
"Uhm," Lance turned to see the street name, "Carlton Street. I- Well- There was this guy-" his voice cracked.   
"Say no more, Lance. I'll pick you up. Are you alone?"  
"Eh, no. Keith's here."  
"Keith- Wait. Cute bad boy Keith?"  
"Yeah."  
Hunk remained silent for a few moments.   
"Wow."  
"Yeah." Despite everything, that made him laugh.   
"I'll be there in three minutes." Promised Hunk before hanging up. 

. . . . 

When he got there, Hunk was carrying one of his own shirts, and the first thing he did was give it to Lance, who welcomed the protection and heat Hunk's huge clothes gave him. It hung below his shorts and almost to his knees, and it was more comfortable than anything he owned.   
Lance thanked him quietly.   
Hunk turned then to Keith, who had to look up to see Hunk's face.   
"You're Keith, right?" He asked and Keith nodded. "I'm Hunk." He smiled and offered his hand. "I've heard a lot about you."  
"You have?"  
"Yeah, Lance won’t stop repeating how much of a hero you are."  
"Life-savior," Lance interjected, blushing furiously, "I said life-savior."  
"Anyway," Hunk smiled warmly at Keith, "I guess I should thank you myself."  
"Ah, you don't-"  
"Dude, you just saved my best friend from being raped." Lance shivered. "I could kiss your feet and it wouldn’t feel like it was enough."  
"Really, it's nothing." Keith repeated. "I'm glad I was here. I knew Lotor was a bastard, but I had no idea it was that bad. I'm glad Lance is safe."  
"Could we stop talking about Lance like Lance isn't here?" Lance asked, rubbing his arms in search of warmth. This was so, so awkward! His best friend and the cutest boy in town discussing his safety.   
Keith smiled sheepishly at him.   
"Well, I guess we'll be on our way." Hunk muttered, and Keith nodded.  
"Right." Lance looked at him for a moment, wanting to say something, but because his brain was still a little messed up, he dared to go up to him instead and hug him tightly.   
"Thank you." He whispered in his ear. Keith was stiff as a wall, but he felt his hands wrap clumsily around his waist.   
"No problem." He answered. Lance pulled away and joined Hunk in their walk back to his home.   
They were about to turn around a corner, when Lance couldn't take it any longer, and looked back at Keith. He was still standing, in the same position as before, looking forward, and, Lance noticed, directly at him. He smiled softly as he disappeared behind the corner.   
"You gave Shay a heart-attack."  
"I'm really sor-"  
"Lance! Wait!" They heard a shout. They both turned around to see Keith running to catch up with them. "I want to- uhm- Do you have a phone?" He fumbled out.   
"A phone?"  
"Yeah, I-" Keith blushed again. "I want you to have my number." Lance's eyes widened. He wordlessly took his phone out of his pocket, unblocked it, and gave it to Keith.  
"You can call anytime." Keith was saying as he typed in his info. "I have weird sleeping habits, so I'll probably be awake anytime you text or call." He gave Lance his phone. "I'll answer even if you wake me up. I don't know why I said that." He blinked a couple of times, and Lance smiled sweetly at him.   
"Thank you, Keith."  
"No problem." He muttered again, locking his eyes on the ground. "I'll go now. Bye." He walked away fairly quickly, and disappeared.   
Hunk and Lance stayed still and in silence for a moment, until Hunk said:  
"You're so gonna call him, aren't you?"  
"Fuck, yeah I’m gonna call him."

 

Bonus:

 

As soon as Keith closed the door behind him, Shiro’s voice rang through their apartment.  
“Where were you?” He poked his head from the kitchen. “I was worried.”  
“Hey, Kashi.” Keith smiled softly.  
“Oh?” Shiro went into the living room, where Keith was standing with a dreamy look in his eyes. “You’re in a good mood. What happened?”  
“Do you remember the guy I told you about?”  
“What guy?”  
“The guy.”  
“What, blue eyes, long legs, studying astronomy at Altea Uni, and, quote, ‘If I see him again, I’m asking him to marry me’?” Shiro counted each trait with his fingers. “That guy?”  
Keith grinned.  
“His name’s Lance.”  
“No way!” Shiro’s mouth dropped open in awe. “You met him again? That’s insane!”   
Keith nodded, still smiling like crazy. Both brothers slumped into the couch, Keith putting his feet on the table.   
“What happened this time? Did you pay for his coffee? Pulled him out of a car’s way? Was he cornered by wild dogs?”  
“Wild dogs, alright.” Keith said through gritted teeth. “He ran into a drunk Lotor.”  
“Bastard.” Shiro snarled. Both knew what the other was thinking: they had to do something about the Galra. “What did you do?”  
“Punched him in the face, and told him I’d run him over with my bike.”  
“Good.” Shiro nodded seriously. “Then?”  
“Lance called a friend, and I waited with him until he arrived and took him home.”  
“Look at you,” Shiro ruffled his hair as he groaned. “Already meeting his friends.”  
“Shuddup.” Keith mumbled, blushing.  
“Did you managed to give him your number?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Think he’ll call?”  
“I hope.” Keith groaned as he hid his face in his hand. Shiro rubbed his back in consolation.  
For Keith, Lance was the most amazing thing he had seen, even without much conversation. He was smart, he was studying astronomy! Keith had been studying that before dropping that! He liked animals. He was brave, and loving. And, as if it wasn’t enough, he was so damn handsome.   
Keith would murder someone if it gave him the chance to take Lance on a date.   
A vibration in his pocket pulled him out of his thoughts.   
He took his phone out, and checked the notification.  
His eyes widened, and he stood so quickly he pushed Shiro away.  
“What is it?”  
Keith held the phone for his brother to see.  
“He texted!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was summaried in my notes as:  
> LOTOR TOUCHED THE BOOTY and Keith punched him in the face
> 
> Your comments are great, guys, thank you  
> Thanks for reading.  
> Love, Ela

**Author's Note:**

> What do you think?  
> Yay or nay?  
> Let me know!!
> 
> Love always,   
> Ela


End file.
